Broken Pieces
by book.lover1586
Summary: At 22-years-old, Isabella Swan has watched her kingdom become corrupted, both her parents being murdered, and learned what it's like being held as a prisoner. Edward Cullen is thrown into Bella's cell after saving a couple accused of treason against the king. What happens when the two of them find a friendship in each other? Are they both too broken to ever move on in their lives?
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone! So this is a new one that I'm working on. This is just the prologue, so it's a good bit shorter than the other chapters will be. See you at the bottom! As always, I do not own Twilight.**

I was running as fast as I could, my heart pounding in my chest. I felt pieces of my hair falling loose from the braid, but I couldn't afford to push them out of my face. I heard the footsteps behind me and I pushed myself faster. My breath was coming out in sharp gasps as I tried to get more air into my lungs. I couldn't remember ever running this hard for this long. The moon cast enough light on the ground that I didn't worry about losing my footing, but it didn't cast so much that I was worried about being seen too easily from a distance.

"Don't stop now, Bella! And don't look back."

Relief washed over me as Edward approached me from behind. I wasn't sure that he had gotten away from them after that blast. He was right behind me, his feet falling hard onto the earth beneath us. He was panting as hard as I was, and I knew that we wouldn't be able to outrun them forever. My eyes scanned trees on our right and I pointed to a looming building just barely concealed by the tree line.

Edward glanced that way before he grabbed my arm and pulled me into the trees with him. We approached the building quickly, and it was very apparent that it had been abandoned long ago. Edward went through the door first, and I was right behind him locking up the door as he boarded windows. We did a quick scan of the first floor before making our way up to higher levels. It didn't seem like anyone had been here in years, so it should be safe for us to stay here until we found a way to get past the patrols.

I followed Edward up the creaky stairs, making mental notes of which ones we needed to avoid later on. We got upstairs and found a few pieces of furniture, but mostly one large open room. We rushed to the window where we knew we wouldn't be spotted, but it would be perfect to see the patrols for now.

The patrols appeared from the tree line a moment later, armed with large swords and those damn guard dogs. My breath caught as I saw the dogs. I didn't know they had pulled the dogs out. If they got a hold on our scent, we were done for. Edward's arm rested on my shoulder at the sound, and I relaxed a little know that he was here with me. The men were slowly walking through the small clearing, getting closer to the abandoned building. We were sitting ducks here, but we couldn't have kept running from them. Edward's lips were by my ear as he whispered, "If they get much closer, we are going to have to run again. The dogs will be too close. You will go first, no objections. Do not look back and do not hesitate. I'll be behind you."

I turned quickly, looking up into his eyes. "No, Edward. I'm not going to leave you again. I didn't think you even made it out of there."

Edward pulled me in for a quick kiss and then pulled back to look me in the eye, speaking softly. "No objections, Isabella. I'm going to be fine. You run and I'll follow right behind you." He glanced out the window again and his face hardened. "Go now, Bella."

Edward and I flew down the stairs, avoiding the ones that creak badly so they had a smaller chance of hearing us. We reached the bottom floor and I ran for the back door into the night. I took one glance behind me at Edward and he motioned for me to run. I flew through the trees, saying a prayer that Edward would be safe and would meet with me again soon. I heard the bark of dogs and the yell of men, and I knew that Edward had created the distraction for me to get as far away from them as I could. I didn't look back as I ran into the night, but tears stung my eyes with the worry for the only man I loved.

 **Well…? Thoughts? Please review and let me know what you think! I love getting to hear from my readers. Please go ahead to the first official chapter and read away. And also review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here is the first official chapter! Enjoy, and I'll see you at the bottom.**

 _1 year earlier…_

I woke up to the clang of the cell doors being unlocked, and I sat up quickly. Two armed men walked into my cell and watched me with an evil gleam in their eyes. I shrank back into the small cot and wrapped my arms around myself, trying to shield me from their eyes. One of the men chuckled and watched me closer. "Don't worry about yourself. We aren't here for you right now. You've got a new cellmate coming."

A small amount of relief washed over me, though very little. I'd seen some of the other prisoners here, and they weren't the best people to be stuffed into a small cell with. I didn't move from my spot while the guards continued to watch me. I knew that I looked terrible, and that's what those men love to point out whenever they come in and decide to use our bodies as their property. My hair was long and tangled down my back. I was far too thin to be healthy; anyone could count each of my ribs. I glared back at the guards in my cell, anger bubbling up inside of me but nothing that I could do.

In a moment, two other guards entered the already cramped cell, dragging someone between them. My jaw dropped when I saw that it was a man between them. The guards threw him to the ground and quickly left, locking the cell behind them. "Now play nice you two. Don't get too familiar with each other," one of the guards said with a disgusting wink at the man on the floor.

The man struggled to get off the floor and sit on the edge of the cot across the room. My jaw dropped when I fully took in his appearance. He must have fought back against the guards. His lip was busted, blood flowing down his chin. He had dried blood just under his nose from where they must have hit him earlier. There was a bruise already forming high on his right cheek and a small cut just under the bruise. He looked over me once and then dropped his head to look at the floor.

I curled my knees to my chest and rested my chin on the top of my knees. "How did they get you?" I asked him quietly.

The man slowly lifted his head to look at me. "They raided my village and found a couple living in my basement that were wanted for treason, even though they were innocent of all charges against them. I was able to get the couple to safety before they caught me and beat me for letting the couple get away."

"How old are you?"

He looked closer at me and sat back on his cot. "I'm 24. My name is Edward."

"I'm Bella. I'm 22. My father stood up for a crippled man, and they killed him on the spot. My mother argued with the guards, so they killed her too. They just thought I was pretty and took me with them instead of killing me." I closed my eyes, tears about to fall, as the memories flooded over me.

 _My mother and I huddled against the small window of our home, tears falling freely as we watched my father arguing with the guards. They were getting ready to publicly whip a crippled man for theft (so they say), but my father wasn't going to stand for it. My mother covered her mouth with her hand as my father stood between the guard and the crippled man._

 _"This man did nothing wrong! Can't you see that he has an injured leg? He couldn't steal anything and get away with it even if he wanted to."_

 _The guard raised the whip, "Move, man. Or we will whip you alongside the crippled."_

 _My father held his ground and stared down the guard._

 _Another guard approached with a broad sword, and smirked in my father's direction. My mother's eyes widened at the sight. I wasn't quick enough to grab her arm before she bolted out of the door, running to try and save my father's life._

 _The whip came down with a sharp crack, and I heard myself and my mother scream. I ran out the door after her, calling for her to come back to the house. The whip cracked two more times before my mother reached the guard. She threw herself against him, and the man with the sword pulled her away._

 _"What do you think you are doing, bitch?"_

 _My mothers face was covered with her tears as she watched my father continuing to be whipped, even after he had fallen. She thrashed against the guard holding her, and he pushed her to the ground, raising the large sword. I cried out, hiding my face as the sword came down, severing my mother's head._

 _I collapsed onto the ground. There's no reason left to live now. They were all that I had in this world. I heard heavy footsteps coming closer to me and I kept my head down, uselessly hoping that the guards would just leave me alone to mourn. I saw the glint on the ground and looked up to find the large sword preparing to come down on my neck as well. I closed my eyes, ready to embrace death._

 _After a moment, still nothing had happened and I looked up at the guard again. He had put the sword to his side and was watching me, "Up, girl."_

 _I slowly stood and his eyes had an evil gleam in them. He ran his eyes up and down my body before gripping my upper arm painfully hard. "It's your lucky day. You're going to come with us, pretty girl."_

I came out of the awful memory and wiped the tears from my face. I was alone now. I wrapped my arms tighter around myself before other awful memories took over my mind. I've wished that they would have just killed me that day. It would have saved me the awful pain that I've experienced here. My mother had always told me that my looks would get me a gorgeous man, but I wished more than anything that I wasn't pretty.

Edward shifted in front of me, and I flinched back after having those thoughts. He stopped, looking at me. I was nothing but a broken woman sitting in front of him. "I'm not going to hurt you, Bella."

I nodded slightly. After what these men had done to me, trust doesn't come easy.

XxXxX

I jolted awake and sat up quickly, tears running down my face and my breath coming in gasps. I curled my knees to my chest and glanced around the room. I looked toward Edward and saw him looking back at me.

"Are you okay, Bella?" he asked softly. There was concern in his eyes as he watched me cautiously.

I shook my head to tell him no. If I opened my mouth right now, I knew that I would collapse in sobs. I curled myself up into a smaller ball and Edward stood up, walking over to me. I shrank back against the wall at his approach, and he stopped in the middle of the small room, hands raised.

"Bella, I'm not going to hurt you. I promise."

I gave him a small nod as he continued the slow walk over to my cot. He sat beside me and reached a hand out. "I just want to help you, if there's anything I can do."

"There's nothing anyone can do. It was just a nightmare. I'm sorry; I get them a lot." I told him in a quiet voice.

Edward's eyes hardened over and he motioned toward the cell door, "They hurt you, don't they?"

I looked down my knees at the question. I'm a ruined woman, now. "Don't they hurt everyone?"

"You know what I mean, Bella."

I looked up at his face and saw a sadness in his eyes. I nodded in confirmation of what he suspected, and the pity was clear on his face. He gently laid a hand on my knee, and I fell apart at the touch. My body shook in silent sobs, and Edward reached out to pull me into a hug. I laid my head on his chest and felt myself come apart in someone else's arms.

Edward's hands held me tight and he gently rubbed my back. "I'm so sorry, Bella. So sorry." His cheek rested on the top of my head, and I held onto the front of his shirt. I don't know how long I laid on him, crying, but Edward didn't let go. Tomorrow I'm sure I would regret falling apart in front of someone I don't really even know, but for now I just needed someone's friendly touch.

XxXxX

When I woke up again, the cell door was being unlocked by a couple of the guards. Edward had gone back to his cot after I got the tears under control, and he brushed off my thanks quickly. It took awhile before I had been able to go back to sleep, though. I looked toward the cell door and my breath caught as James walked in.

He looked at me with a wicked grin and took a step in my direction. "Hello there, my little Bell. My how I've missed this face." He stopped in front of me and ran a finger over my cheek. I flinched back from his touch, and he harshly grabbed my chin. "You don't pull away from me, little bitch." James glanced around the cell and nodded toward Edward, "Laurent, take him somewhere else would you? Little Bell here needs a lesson in manners." My heart fell at his words and watched in terror as Laurent grabbed Edward and pulled him from the room. Edward tried to fight him off, but the guard was too much and left, locking the door behind him.

James stood, towering over me, as his eyes ran along my thin body, "Ready for a little fun, my Bell?"

 **Review and let me know what you think, please! Also go check out my other current story** ** _A Second Chance_** **. Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**So this story is going to continue from the last chapter and work its way up to the prologue in chapter one. See you at the bottom!**

When they brought Edward back in, I was already curled into a small ball on my cot. The tears on my face had dried and I was staring at the wall. I had my back to Edward, but I knew it was him that they had brought back into the room. I would have rather that they had killed me instead of keeping me here to use as their toy. And James is the worst. He is too forceful and likes to leave bruises on me.

I flinched and tensed up as Edward carefully laid his hand on my shoulder. "Bella?"

I didn't answer him. I wanted to think he wouldn't hurt me too, but it's not like anyone would care if he did. I'm nothing here.

"Bella? Is there anything I can do?"

I peeked over my shoulder and saw the concern in his eyes. I carefully sat up and then saw his face. "Edward, what happened to you?"

He shook his head, "Nothing for you to worry about. Can I do anything for you?"

I curled against the wall and patted the seat beside me, "Sit with me?"

Edward sat on the cot with me and my eyes moved over his face. His lips and nose had fresh blood running down them, though it was already slowing. His left cheek would have a nasty bruise to match the right, and I could see a cut on his upper bicep. "What happened?"

"I punched Laurent after he dragged me out of here," Edward said quietly.

"I'm surprised that's all they did to you. You shouldn't fight back against them. I've been here long enough to know that it won't work."

Edward looked at me and I turned my face away. I knew how bad I must look right now. "I can't just let them do that to you."

"There's nothing you can do though. They will just keep hurting you, too."

Edward reached out a hand, and I moved over to lean against his side. I closed my eyes and felt loneliness consume me once more. I have nobody left in this world, so I'm letting a stranger comfort me. Based on the muscles that I could feel underneath his sleeves, he could definitely overpower me. It's strange though… He makes me feel safe.

Edward and I had spent the past week getting to know each other better. He came from a small family, just him and his parents. They both died when he was young, and Edward had done what it took to survive. That included stealing, lying, and impersonating some important people to get by with little bits of food and money until the next time he needed to do something to live. He wasn't ashamed of stealing from people because they never cared when he was younger and almost starved to death in the streets. Now, he owned a very small plot of land, but the guards would have taken that as the king's possession now.

I told him that it was just me and my parents as well. My father had owned a small bakery in town, and the three of us had lived in the two small rooms above the shop. My mother taught me to read and write when I was very young because she wanted me to be more than just a pretty face. I was supposed to marry a young landowner, but he was killed at the beginning of the war. It would have provided my family with much-needed money, but my father refused to sell me off to anyone that wouldn't keep my best interests at heart. So I had remained at home with my parents until there was a suitor that fit the needs of me and my family.

Edward and I were lying on our own cots just staring at the ceiling, not talking. The lock moved on the cell door and two guards came in a moment later. "Up," they told us. "The two of you are going to be transferred to the castle for extra labor. Bad behavior and you both will be sent right back here."

Edward and I stood, and they came over to place chains connecting our arms and our ankles. We were ushered out of the large prison and stuffed inside of the cramped transport carriage. I sat across from Edward as the guards took their place at the front and rear on the outside of the carriage. The carriage started rolling down the worn road, and I watched the land going by from the window.

We watched in silence for a long time; the guards never like it when they can hear you talking to another prisoner. I glanced at Edward and saw him watching the scenery as we rode by. The bruises on his face were going away fairly quickly, and I could see more of the face lying underneath them. Edward was considered to be a very handsome man, and I caught myself tracing his face with my eyes. Edward turned toward me before I looked away and gave me a crooked grin, as if he knew that I had been watching him. The carriage went over a large bump, and Edward and I were jostled around in our seats. I gasped as I was knocked from my seat and ended up partially laying across Edward's lap.

I blushed and tried to push myself back to my seat with my wrists chained together. "I'm so sorry, Edward. I lost my footing with the bump."

He smiled at me and helped right myself in my seat, "It's alright, Bella. No harm done."

I blushed and looked back out of the window. My jaw fell open as the towering castle came into view. It was larger than I had remembered it being. Even though my family lived in the town's center square, it was very rare that I was ever close enough to get a good look at it. There were multitudes of guards outside and many of them had a large dogs standing watch beside them. The guard dogs of the castle were well-known, in the village especially, because they were taken out on nightly patrol runs and everyone was ordered to be in their homes by that time or risk the dogs attacking. The dogs were vicious animals that could pick up any trail, no matter how small the scent was.

The carriage pulled around the castle and the guards ordered us to get out. We were ushered through the castle until we reached the servants' quarters at the far end. Only our wrists were released as the guards left us in the quarters and told us to wait there until the Service Mistress came to retrieve us. Edward and I had stood still in the cramped room for a short time when the woman came in the large door, a deep frown on her face.

She bustled through the room, moving objects around and tossing linens into a large basket. She was a very tiny woman, short and thin. Her hair was also very short, probably because it would be easier to keep clean while doing daily chores throughout the castle and ordering other servants around. Her face was kind despite the frown, and she had quick fingers that must make her valuable for intricate details. The woman stopped as she finally noticed our presence and looked each of us over once. "You must be the new arrivals. I'm Alice, Service Mistress. Names?"

Edward stepped forward first and nodded to the woman, "I'm Edward Cullen. This is Isabella Swan." He motioned to me, and I stepped forward to give a small curtsy to the woman.

She winked at me and shook her head, "Darling, I'm not in a much higher position than you are despite the weak title. No need to be so formal. Edward, you look like there's a good bit of muscle in there. I'm going to put you in the stables with some of the other young men. You'll be escorted there shortly and they will teach you the ropes. Isabella, let me see your hands."

I held my hands up, and Alice carefully looked at each of my fingers. She nodded her head once and muttered to herself before she spoke to me, "Yes, perfect. You're going to come with me and I'll teach you what it is that I do here. You have nimble fingers which are perfect for what I have in mind."

After Edward left with a large man to go to the stables, Alice led me throughout the castle. "So, Isabella. What did you do that got you sent here?"

"Please call me Bella." I told her, following close behind. "My parents were killed and I was taken to the main prison where I've been for a short time. They brought Edward in not long ago, but I'm not sure why we were were moved into the castle."

Alice nodded and continued walking. "I've been here for five years as Service Mistress. My mother was a courtesan at the castle, but they deemed me too childlike, so I was moved into the servant station. It is perfect for me because I never wanted to follow in my mother's footsteps. She died two years ago, ashamed that I never had a better position in the castle. I'm happiest here I guess, though I would like to live outside of the castle."

I stopped outside of a door with Alice and she held a finger to her lips, telling me to be silent. Alice slowly opened the door and we walked inside with barely a sound. After closing the door, she lit a candle and then sighed in relief. "Good, nobody is here. You always need to be extra quiet when you enter a room. You never know who might be there and what they might be doing. For the most part, they don't care what we see or hear, just mind your tongue and don't repeat a word of any of it. If you do, you will lose your head."

I gulped as I followed Alice quickly around the room. We collected all of the dirty clothes and bed sheets before doing a quick dusting of the furniture. She told me that it wasn't really our job to do the cleaning, other people were assigned to that, but none of the nobility would want to walk into a dusty room.

I followed Alice around for hours, rushing from room to room and down long hallways collecting sheets and clothes. By the middle of the day, I was utterly exhausted. Alice led me to the servant door of the castle and dropped me off there where Edward was already waiting. We were to be sent back to our cell at night because we were not trusted yet to remain in the quarters with the others. Edward looked like death, but he gave me a small smile as we got back into the carriage for the rocky journey back to the prison. Alice gave a small wave to us before rushing back into the castle. I leaned my head over against the carriage wall and allowed myself to doze off for a few moments.

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